1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network management system and a method of network management appropriate for managing agents which have respective addresses.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In conventional network management systems, network component units communicate directly with a management terminal for managing the units using a network management protocol such as an SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol).
In such a network management system using the SNMP, it is necessary to provide each network component unit to be managed with a function to be managed (SNMP Agent function) and with an IP address as an identifier in a network layer required for communication with a management terminal.
This IP address needs to be unique worldwide, and is actually used as an identifier of a network component unit on a network to which a management terminal serving as a network management apparatus is connected.
As such a network management scheme, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No.9-331325, for example, a plurality of network component units each having a function to be managed form a monitor network, a managing terminal in an IP network including the management terminal provided therein monitors each network component unit on the monitor network, and a substitute reply device is provided at the connecting point between the monitor network and the IP network.
The connecting portion of the substitute reply device to the IP network is provided with an IP address which is unique worldwide. In addition, the connecting portion of the substitute reply device to the monitor network is provided with an IP address which is unique within the monitor network.
The substitute reply device performs conversion of a management identification element for identifying each network component unit by a management terminal and an IP address provided for each network component unit, and conversion of management items in the monitor network.
In the aforementioned prior art, however, each network component unit has an address within the monitor network different from an IP address which is unique worldwide, and the substitute reply device converts a message provided from the management terminal. Thus, the management terminal cannot manage each network component unit which is in direct connection with the IP network.
When an attempt is made to use a singly existing node as a network component unit as it is, an associated interface need be changed.
In addition, when a plurality of network component units having respective network addresses exist within the same node, a problem of complicated management of the network component units occurs since a management terminal controls them as independent nodes in the network.
The present invention provides a network management system and a method of network management which is capable of managing a plurality of agents having respective addresses, directly connecting the respective agents to a network without changing interfaces, and including an agent connected singly to the network into a node without changing interfaces.
It is a first object of the present invention to form a network management system comprising a node in which a plurality of agents, first to nth agents, having worldwide unique respective addresses are interconnected; a network management apparatus for managing the first to nth agents; and a network for connecting the network managing apparatus to the node, wherein the first agent is directly connected to the network, and the first to nth agents are interconnected through interfaces similar to the network.
The first agent comprises a proxy agent for receiving control information provided from the network management apparatus to the node and sending a response to the control information and notification of events from the node to the network management apparatus, an agent allocating function section for recognizing which agent the control information is intended for and allocating the control information to the intended agent, a first manager function section for managing the second agent based on the allocated control information, and an ixe2x88x921 manager function section for managing an ith agent based on the allocated control information.
When a mode is intended to set in a specific agent of the second to nth agents, the network management apparatus produces a packet including an address for identifying the intended agent, a type of a mode and contents to be set, and transmit the packet to the network addressing the first agent.
When all traffic information is required to collect from the first to nth agents, the network management apparatus produces a packet for requesting all traffic information collection and transmit the packet, to the network addressing the first agent.
When one of the second to nth agents is connected solely to the network, the network management apparatus may identify the address of the agent to allow individual management independently of the node.
It is a second object of the present invention to disclose a method of network management comprising: a first step of providing first to nth agents with different addresses which are unique worldwide and interconnecting the agents to a node; a second step of connecting the first agent directly to a network; a third step of interconnecting the first to nth agents through interfaces similar to the interfaces employed to the network; a fourth step of managing the first to nth agents by a network management apparatus; and a fifth step of connecting the network management apparatus to the node through the network.
The second step includes a sixth step of receiving control information provided from the network management apparatus to the node and sending a response to the control information and notifying of events from the node to the network management apparatus, a seventh step of recognizing which agent the control information is intended for and allocating the control information to the intended agent, and an eighth step of managing an ith agent based on the allocated control information.
The fourth step includes a ninth step of, when a mode is required to set in a specific agent of the second to nth agents, producing a packet including an address for identifying the specific agent, a type of a mode and contents to be set, and a tenth step of transmitting the packet to the network addressing the first agent.
The fourth step includes an eleventh step of, when all traffic information is required to collect from the first to nth agents, producing a packet for requesting to collect all traffic information, and a twelfth step of transmitting the packet to the network addressing the first agent.
The fourth step includes a thirteenth step of, when one of the second to nth agents is connected solely to the network, identifying the address of the solely connected agent to manage the agent by the network management apparatus independently from the node.
In the network management system and the method of network management according to the present invention, the first to nth agents are provided with different addresses which are unique worldwide and interconnected to the node, the first agent is directly connected to the network, the first to nth agents are interconnected through interfaces which are similar interfaces employed in the network, so that each of the first to nth agents can be managed directly by the network management apparatus connected through the network independently from the node.